Trousers stretcher and hanger.



S. W. FORD TROUSERS STRETCHER AND HANGER. APPLICATION F-ILED SEPT. 4.1911'.

1,296,942. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

m: NDRms PIYERS ca. vnnmuma. WASNINHBN, n. z.

SHELLEY w. roan, or

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO SUNDVAHL, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

RICHARD A.

'rnousnns s'rimronnn AND "H NGER.

0 all whom it may concern."

Be it knoWnthat I, SHELLEY W. FORD, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Trousers Stretchers andHangers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention seeks to provide an improved trousers stretcher and hangerof sim- [ple construction which can be readily applied to trousers ofdifferent sizes to effectively stretch the same. A further object of theinvention is to provide a trousers stretcher and hanger which can becompactly folded.

The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter set!forth, illustrated in the preferred form in the accompanying drawingsand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the improved trousersstretcher and hanger with the parts in position for use. Fig. 2 is anedge view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view showing the improved trousersstretcher and hanger in folded condition. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailview in section on'the line 1-4 of Fig. 1.

The improved trousers stretcher and hanger comprises a longitudinal baror member 10, a pair of stretcher bars 11 pivotally andadjustablyconnected at their inner ends to the lower ends of the bar 10': andhaving clamps at their outer ends for engaging the upper portions of thetrousers and a transverse clamp at the upper end of the longitudinalmember for gripping the lower ends of the trousers legs.

The bars or members 10 and 11 are in the form of thin flat strips andare preferably made of wood. The transverse clamp at the upper end ofthe device is also preferably made of wood and preferably comprises twothin flat members 12 and 13 which are adjustably connected by a pair ofbolts 14 having clamping wing nuts 15 thereon. The transverse clamp istriangular in outline and is connected to the upper end, of thelongitudinal bar or member 10 preferably by means of a pivot bolt 16which extends through the central portion of the clamp member 12adjacent its lower edge. The lower central portion of the other clampmember 13 is cut away so that the rounded head of the pivot bolt 16 willnot mar the Specification of Letters Patent Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed September 4,1917. Serial No. 189,453.

lower ends of the trousers when rippedbetween the two members. One 0 ampmember, in the form shown themember 12, is provided with a suspensionhook 17 fixed at its lower endto the upper central portion of theclamping member.

The parts ll are, as stated, pivotally and adjustably connected to thelower end of the bar or member 10. For this purpose, the lower end ofthe bar 10 is provided with a longitudinal slot 18 and a pivot bolt 19extends through the ends of the bars 11 and the slot 18 and is providedwith a clamping W1I10 nut 20. Preferably, as shown, the inner ends ofthe bars 11 are arranged on opposite sides of the lowerend of the bar10. The outer ends of the bars 11 are provided with short clampingpieces 21 adjustably connected thereto by bolts 22 having wing nuts 23thereon. In operation the lower ends of the trousers legs are grippedbetween the clamp members 12 and 13 andthe upper portions of thetrousers are gripped between the lower ends of the stretcher bars 11 andthe clamp members 21 thereon. In order to effectively 7 tions ofthe'trousers without injuring the fabric thereof, the outer ends of theclamp members 12 and 13, the inner ends of the clamp members 21 and theportions of the bars 11 associated with the latter clamps are providedwith. facing strips 2 1 of felt or the like. Preferably also, thinspacing blocks 25 and 26 substantially equal to a pair of trousers whenin position on the stretcher, are interposed between the clampingmembers. The block 25 is interposed between the central portions of theclamping members 12 and 13 and is fixedto the clamp member 12, and theblocks 26 are interposed betweenthe outer ends of the bars 11 andclamping strips 21 and are fixed to bars 11. The clamping members areforced into snug engagement with the trousers by means of the wing nuts15 and 23 on the clamp bolts 14 and 22. By loosening the nut 20 on theclamping pivot bolt 19, the stretcher bars can be easily adjusted andthe clamp members 21 thereon readily engaged with the upper portions ofthe trousers of different length and width. When the clamps are properlyengaged with the upper and lower portions of the trousers, the innerends of the stretcher bars 11 and the bolt 19 are forced toward thelower end of grip the upper and lower por in thickness the longitudinalbar 10. hen this is done, the outer ends of the stretcher bars 11 notonly move in lengthwise direction but also swing outwardly about thepivot bolt 19 so that the fabric of the trousersfis stretched or placedunder tension bothin a longitudlnal and a transverse direction. Whenth'eper end of the device through a half turn about the pivot bolt 16 and byswinging the stretcher bars in opposite directions about the pivot bolt19 into positions adjacent and substantially parallel with the bar 10. rThis folded position of the device is shown in Fig. 3.

Changes may be made in the details set forth'without departing from theessentials of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A trousers stretcher comprising a longitudinal bar, a transverseclamp at the upper endv of said longitudinal bar for gripping the lowerends of the trousers legs, a pair of stretcherbars having clamps attheir outer ends for gripping the upper portions of the trousers, and acombined pivotally and'longitudinally adjustable connection between theinner ends'of both of said stretcher bars and'the lower end of saidlongitudinal bar, said connection having means for clamping both of saidstretcher bars in different angular and longitudinally adjustedpositions with respect to said longitudinal bar, substantially asdescribed.

- 2. A trousers stretcher comprising a longitudinal bar, a rigidtransverse clamp member centrally connected to the upper end of saidlongitudinal bar and having means for gripping the lower ends of thetrousers legs, a pair of stretcher bars having clamps at their outerends for gripping the upper portions of the trousers, and a combinedpivotally and longitudinally adjustable connection between the innerends of both of said stretcher bars and the lower end of saidlongitudin'al' bar, said stretcher bars being of substantially the samelength as said longi tudinal bar and being fol'dable into substantiallyparallel relation therewith and said stretcher bars being downwardly andoutwardly inclined in operative position, said adjustable connectionhaving means for clamping said stretcher bars in--t-di-tferent angularand longitudinally adjusted positions with respect to said longitudinalbar, substantially as described. I

3 A trousers stretcher'and hanger comprising a longitudinal member, arigid transverseclamp member having means for gripping the lower ends ofthe trousers legs centrally pivoted tothe upper end of said member, asuspension hook fixed to said clamp member, and a pair of foldablestretcher bars having pivotally andlongitudinally adjustableconnectionsat their inner ends with the lower end of saidlongitudinal member andhaving clamps at their outer ends for engaging the upper portions of thetrousers, substantially as described.

. 4. A trousers stretcher and'hanger comprising a longitudinal bar, atransverse clamp at the upper end ofsaid longitudinal bar for grippingthe lower ends of the trousers legs, a pair of stretcher bars havingclamps at their outer ends for gripping the 1 upper portion of thetrousers, said bars being formed ofthin, fiat strips and saidlongitudinal bar having a slot in its lower end extending lengthwisethereof, and a clam ing pivot-bolt extending "through the inner'ends ofsaid stretcher bars and; said slot-, substantially asdescribed; 1 g V 5.A trousers stretcher and hanger icomprising a longitudinal member, arigid transverse member centrally pivoted at the upper end of saidlongitudinal member, a

pair of stretcher members both having piv'f 'otally and longitudinallyadjust-able connections with the lower end of said longitudinal member,said members and saidbars being formed of thin fiat strips, thin fiatgripping members adjustably connectedto said transverse member and to.the outer ends of said stretcher members and a suspension hook fixed tosaid transverse member,-

substantially asdescribed SHELLEY-W. roan.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, I

Washington, D. G.

